What You Should Know About Hiring a Private Investigator During Your Divorce

If you’re in the midst of going through a divorce, you likely know the importance of finding a top Rhode Island divorce lawyer to represent you, but what about a private investigator? Many people opt to work with private investigators along with their divorce lawyer throughout not only their actual divorce, but also as a resource for custody issues.

Here’s a few basics you should know before you begin working with a private investigator:

Know How an Investigator Can Help You

Private investigators, alongside your divorce attorney can be an outstanding resource. They can help you discover any number of things that can help you have a more successful divorce from your own perspective, from issues of infidelity to the discovery of hidden assets. Investigators can also uncover information valuable to a child custody case that could show a court and a judge that your former spouse shouldn’t have custody.

Ask Your Lawyer for Recommendations

Despite the numerous and valuable ways a private investigator can help your divorce case, it’s important to realize you need to hire an individual who is reputable and who is going to gather information in a way that’s ethical and useful.

You may consider asking your Rhode Island divorce attorney for the names of some investigators with a good reputation, and it can often be best to have your investigator and lawyer working together. This way, the information gathered is legal, and you have the best chance of having things uncovered that will be beneficial to your lawyer in court.

With that being said, there may simply be situations where a P.I. is going to be of no use to your case. You may feel angry, resentful or vindictive and want to hire an investigator because of those feelings, but ultimately it’s going to be a waste of time and money for some people, so ask your lawyer whether or not the services of an investigator would even be advantageous to your specific case.

Create a Professional Agreement

During a divorce you may be operating based on emotions, but you can’t let your feelings blind you when you’re working with anyone in your divorce team, including your P.I. First, ensure you’re choosing an individual who is licensed and experienced, and once you’ve chosen that person, make sure you enter into a contract.

The contract should extensively detail the services your investigator will be providing and what their fee is going to be for those services. It’s particularly important to be cautious when hiring a P.I. who charges an hourly rate.

Ultimately, it’s your decision whether or not to hire a private investigator during a divorce. It’s important you’re emotionally ready for what they may find, and you should always consult with your divorce lawyer first and foremost, before contracting an investigative party to participate in your life. This can help you ensure the information is not only of value, but also that’s it’s going to be gathered in a legal way so it can be properly presented.